Authors: Norbert Amougou Isabelle Bertrand JeanMarie Machet Sylvie Recous
Publish Date: 2010/06/04
Volume: 338, Issue: 1-2, Pages: 83-97
Abstract
To predict the environmental benefits of energy crop production and use the nature and fate of biomass residues in the soil need to be quantified Our objective was to quantify Miscanthus x giganteus biomass recycling to soil and to assess how harvesting time and N fertilization affect their characteristics and subsequent biodegradability The quantification of aerial and belowground biomass and their sampling were performed on 2 and 3yearold Miscanthus stands either fertilized with 120 kg N ha−1 year−1 or not fertilized in autumn maximal biomass production and winter maturity Plant biomass was chemically characterized total sugars Klason lignin C/N and incubated in optimum decomposition conditions 15°C −80 kPa for 263 days for C and N mineralization Accumulation of carbon in rhizomes and roots was 75 to 10 t C ha−1 and represented about 50 of total plant biomass C Senescent leaves represented about 15 t C ha−1 year−1 All residues especially the roots had high lignin contents while the rhizomes also had a high soluble content due to their nutrient storage function The C mineralization rates were closely related to the chemical characteristics of the residue higher sugar and lower lignin contents leading to faster decomposition as observed for rhizomesThis work was funded by INRA and the Region Champagne Ardenne who provided the doctoral grant to N Amougou and the Region Picardie MISQUAL project AAP0752 The authors thank S Cadoux and M Preudhomme INRA AgroImpact for field experiment management and for providing the plant material and F Millon S Millon and G Alavoine for their technical assistance
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